Seborrheic Keratosis Treatment Options
Seborrheic keratosis is a skin condition, and a type of keratosis that affects adults thirty years and over. Unlike actinic keratosis, this is not caused from sun damage neither is it cancerous; but indications have proven that it is hereditary. It is an over growth of the top layer of cells, that may appear as one growth or a cluster of growths. They are usually light brown or black in color and measure from a fraction of an inch to an inch in diameter. They may be easily recognized as having candle wax pasted on top of your skin.
Seborrheic keratoses are rough and warty looking. They may appear as one and increasingly spread, though not contagious. They can be found anywhere on the body including the face, back and chest and trunk. While it cannot be determined how this growth develops in the male gender, it is often triggered by pregnancy or hormone treatment in women. Its size increases over time. It is also easily irritated by anything that comes in contact with it, even your fingers or clothing. If it bleeds you should see a doctor who may remove it. As a matter of fact, if your lesions suddenly turn black, you should consult a doctor. The change in color indicates that it could be malignant. Don’t be alarmed if your doctor has to remove a piece of the lesion for a biopsy testing. Testing is very important at this point as the earlier the stage of cancer is caught you stand a better chance of total remission.
There are several treatment options available for treating seborrheic keratosis:
Electrosurgery does not require the traditional use of a scalpel. Instead, it uses a heat generating device which delivers a high frequency electric current, to burn or vaporize the keratosis in order to remove it. This procedure minimizes or stops the bleeding.
Curettage on the other hand, is a medical procedure which involves the use of an instrument, called a curette. It is used to remove tissue by scraping or scooping the lining of a body cavity or skin, primarily of foreign matter, such as keratosis. Patients are given a local anesthetic, injection or spray, to numb the area before the procedure is done.
Another method of treatment is called cryotherapy or freezing. This involves applying liquid nitrogen to the keratosis. This freezes them and causes them to slough and fall off. Blisters may form but will also go away given time.
The above three options are the most commonly used methods for removing seborrheic keratosis skin lesions.
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